Ecotype Diversity Assessment of Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata Thunb.) in Himachal Pradesh

Elaeagnus umbellata Thunb. commonly known as autumn olive (Elaeagnaceae) is a multipurpose actinorhizal shrub of the Western Himalayas. It is distinctly distributed at a range of about 1200 m to 2100 m, withstanding the eroded areas owing to renowned nitrogen fixing ability. The shrub was recorded at the three altitudinal ranges, at two locations from each range. Elaeagnus invasively outcompetes Myrisine africana, Lantana camara, Coraria nepalensis in chirpine forest and Sambuca nigra, Ruscus, Indigofera, Lonicera in kail forest. E. umbellata enhanced the levels of soil nitrogen in forest land, due to the presence of nodules on its roots that houses nitrogen fixing actinomycetes. This wild shrub is acclaimed for plantation to revamp soil fertility in a forest for hosting numerous herbs and shrubs in its vicinity.